Changes
by daydreamer626
Summary: Ice turned to Action. "I'll slip out the back and check the alleys again. You guys hang here." "Right." Ice started to leave, but the sound of the door opening caused him to stop and turn to the noise. He watched Bernardo's girl, Anita, push the door open, step inside, and then stop abruptly as she sees the Jets, who stared at her emotionlessly.


**Ciao! So this one's been sitting around forever; it's actually my very first fanfiction. Yes, even before Light at the End of the Tunnel. West Side Story is a great movie-musical, probably topped only by Les Misèrables. - Digression**

**Enjoy!**

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His footsteps thumping loudly on the dry pavement, a sweaty Baby John sprinted from the alley, as if his life depended on it. The echo his feet created in the alley made it seem that he was being chased, only furthering his anxiety. He had to find Tony.

Baby John hurtled into the road, feeling his stomach drop from the slight descent. Bernardo's face came back to him, contorting in pain as his life blood flowed steadily out of him. The nasty vision made Baby John feel as if he dropped much further than six inches. His feet hit the ground. So focused was he on getting to Doc's store, he was barely aware of the growing brightness reflected on the dark pavement. It wasn't until he heard a screeching noise, and a loud horn blaring from an irate driver that Baby John became fully aware of his carelessness. Skidding to a stop, he whipped his head to gaze, terrified, at the man whose car almost made him into a grease spot on the road. He stared for only a split second before, snapping out of his shock, turned away and continued to run. However, there were no lit street lights, and the visions returned. Frightened, Baby John told himself to run faster, but now, voices were mixing in with the visions.

_"Did you get a look at their faces?" His voice came out low, but still trembled with sadness._

_"Which faces?" How could A-Rab not know what he was talking about?_

_"You know." Baby John hesitated, reluctant to continue. "At the rumble- Riff and Bernardo." He watched Action's face as it morphed into a guilty look. Then, it changed into a look of horror and shock. A-Rab's hair turned darker, more brown, shorter, as his red shirt turned white, except for a spot near his lungs. Riff's final moments replayed in Baby John's head as he struggled to rid himself of the awful vision._

More footsteps sounded from in front of him as he approached Doc's store. The vision banished to be replaced by two other boys, whom Baby John immediately recognized as Action and A-Rab. They skidded to a halt, then swiftly turned and practically dove through Doc's store. The other Jets, including Anybodys, now a Jet for her espionage in Shark territory, were already assembled. They swung their attention to Baby John, Action, and A-Rab, all of whom were breathless. Nevertheless, Action and A-Rab hurried towards Ice, who stood at the end of the counter by the jukebox.

"Can't find him; he ain't nowhere," Action began, expecting more questions about Tony's whereabouts.

"He's right down in the cellar," Ice replied, jerking a thumb at the cellar door.

"Safe and sound." Action ignored Snowboy's interjection; he figured he didn't need to do anything more for Tony; he wasn't a Jet anymore as far as Action was concerned.

"I found him." Anybodys' voice was loud, obnoxious, and demanding attention, like her personality. Action wasn't sure why she suddenly seemed all buddy-buddy with the Jets or more importantly, why no one was harassing her, but he didn't get the chance to ask.

"You warn him about Chino?" A-Rab asked.

"Yeah," Ice said.

"What's he doin' in the cellar?" Baby John's voice rang out from somewhere near the front of the store. _ He honestly don't know why Tony's in the cellar?_ Action asked himself in disbelief.

"Keepin' the mice company, stupid," Anybodys retorted, turning to glare at Baby John. Ice jerked her arm, yanking her back on her stool.

"No sign of Chino?"

"Nah, nothing," A-Rab said, disappointed.

"His luck," Action spat out as he smacked a fist into his hand, implying what he'd do to the vengeful PR should he come across him.

Ice turned to Action. "I'll slip out the back and check the alleys again. You guys hang here."

"Right." Action hurried over to the front of the store to look out the window, accepting a cigarette from a Jet. Ice started to leave, but the sound of the door opening caused him to stop and turn to the noise. He watched Bernardo's girl, Anita, push the door open, step inside, and then stop abruptly as she sees the Jets, who stared at her emotionlessly. With a great effort, she composed herself.

"I'd like to see Doc." Her voice showed no trace of her apparent anxiety; rather, it held controlled calm, with only a slight tremor in her voice.

"He ain't here." Action made no effort to look her way, or to keep the terseness out of his voice. Anita tried again to get some answers.

"Where is he?"

Ice folded his arms as he eyed Anita, trying to detect anything that could prove if she was a friend or foe.

"Why do you want to know?"

Anita turned her head to identify who had spoken, and was opening her mouth to reply to him when she was cut off by a multitude of voices.

"She wants Tony dead!"

"She'll tell Chino where he is."

"Bernardo's girl's gonna rat on Tony?" This last assumption came from a girl, whose appearance was obviously trying to intimate, albeit in vain

"All of you, cool it!" Ice's voice rang through the crowded shop, and all eyes turned to him. Action was the first to break the silence as he rushed forward to get closer to Ice.

"You're just gonna listen to her?" he demanded, adding in a low growl just loud enough for the room to hear, "Lyin' spic."

"Listen, you-" Anita started to say, walking towards him. However, she held back as she realized she was getting nowhere with Maria's favor.

"We're listenin'," Action sneered nastily, attempting to rile her up. Ice jumped the counter, making sure to land closer to Action. He held his hands up to halt both people, making sure to stand sideways to look at them both.

"Now I said, 'Hold it.'" He glanced at the nearest Jet, Tiger. "Go check the alleys for any sign of Chino." Ice waited until Tiger walked out the door before refocusing his attention on Anita. "What'll you be needing Doc for?"

Obviously relieved she was getting somewhere, and feeling calmer now that the situation seemed under control, Anita explained, "I have a message for your friend, Tony.

"Wouldn't happen to be from Chino, now would it?" Anita turned to glare coldly at Baby John, whom she had least expected to say something.

"Or from his pretty little sister, wanting to see Tony die?" The irony in the situation was clear as day; Maria loved Tony as much as she loved her older brother. Nonetheless, Anita still jumped a little when she noticed A-Rab circling her tauntingly.

"Blade or bullet, señorita?" Snowboy shoved a piece of stick candy with a jagged edge and a gumball in her face. The other Jets, excluding Ice, roared with laughter at Anita starting.

"Don't you see I want to help?"

Her rhetorical question was met by many catcalls.

"ENOUGH!" The single word cut through the air, to be replaced by silence as the Jets looked up sharply. Ice was glaring at each Jet one by one, making sure they all felt the intensity and disapproval in his gaze.

"Now listen. The girls were never involved in any of our fights. Why involve them now?"

"How can you trust a Shark's girl?" Action demanded, gesturing with his hand to Anita.

"The way I see it, she never wanted the fighting, and probably hates it as much as Tony does," Ice countered.

As if to add a little more sting to his point, Anita added, "It's just a piece of street. That is important enough to kill each other over?"

Action looked up angrily from his knees and retorted, "To us it is!" He added in a low voice, "Not like you'd understand."

A long, trying breath released from Anita, clearly showing restraint, but she didn't respond in anyway. Seeing Anita controlling her temper, Ice thought it best to do what she requested and send her on her way before things got ugly. He truly believed she wanted to help, but a small part of him still distrusted her.

"C'mon, I'll take you to see Tony." Ice gestured to Anita to follow him, but she didn't move.

"I can find the cellar myself, thank you." Her voice had a hint of tartness in it, possibly from the involuntary procrastination.

"You might not want any fighting, but I'm playin' it safe. You can either see him with me, or leave."

Anita ignored the snickers from the gang behind her, and she looked at Ice, as if about to protest. It should've been so simple; neither she nor Maria had counted on the Jets being in Doc's store. She should've known that kids her age tended to meet up at night. However, thinking that it was better to tell Tony and be late than not telling him at all, for both his and Maria's sake, Anita nodded in agreement. She followed Ice to the door, nodding politely when he opened the door, then stepped aside to let her go first. Anita wondered in slight amusement what his girl would say had she witnessed the scene.

The two descended down the stairs in silence. Anita stopped for a moment to allow Ice to move past her. He could just make out the soft patter of feet as they paced restlessly in the back.

"Maria?" A whispered voice rang through the otherwise silent cellar. A figure hurried towards the side of the stairs, waiting cautiously.

"No, it's me. With someone else," Ice answered, stepping away from the stairs to reveal Anita.

"Anita." Just by looking at his face, Anita could tell he's obviously, and understandably confused by her presence. Tony stepped forward awkwardly, as if he wanted to grasp her shoulders, but was unsure of her potential reaction. "But... where's Maria? We promised to meet up at Doc's store. Is she OK?"

Anita couldn't believe she was helping Bernardo's killer. However, she swallowed her pride and said, "Si. She sent me here to tell you that she has been detained. She can't meet you right now."

A confused look swept over Tony's face. Did that mean Chino found out about her preferred love?

"Detained?"

Anita noticed Ice watching her carefully. She might've gotten him to trust her, but now, he was making sure his instincts were right. Those cold, blue eyes bore into her, scrutinizing her.

"A police officer is over there right now, asking her about the dance. He thinks it might've lead to 'Nardo's death." She couldn't help but add that last part, both to better inform her friend's love, and to add a little more regret in his actions. She watched his face blanch slightly at the memory, and then he turned to his friend.

"And Chino? He still looking for me?"

"Yeah, Tiger's checking the alleys," Ice said, crossing his arms. "Anybodys found out he's looking to kill you because of the rumble."

It was him or me, Tony thought sadly to himself. Riff was like my brother. When Bernardo killed him-

Maria's voice came back to him with a resounding echo. Bernardo didn't mean it either, I know. The guilt hit him again full force, intensifying when he noticed Anita glaring coldly at him, the beginnings of tears in her eyes. He turned to her.

"I'm terribly sorry about what happened. I- I didn't want to do it, but I don't know what overcame me. It was stupid and... I feel terrible about it," he finished lamely.

At this point, he could see one tear roll slowly down her face, but that was all.

"That doesn't bring him back! You little boys-" Anita emphasized the words sarcastically. "-prefer fighting each other to making peace with each other!"

"I wasn't there to fight. I was trying to break up the rumble, for Maria's sake," Tony desperately explained.

"How did you fall for Bernardo's sister?" The new voice sliced the air, turning the mood from bitter to interrogative as Ice posed his question. He watched as a dreamily expression overtook Tony's face.

"At the dance last night. We saw each other from across the gym, and I knew she was the one."

Footsteps sounded through the tiny cellar as someone came slowly down the stairs. Ice knew it wasn't Chino, as the other Jets were upstairs, and he would've heard the arguing. Nonetheless, he beckoned Tony, who stood in front of the stairs, back into the shadows. Tony ignored his friend and looked up to see Doc, his hands sorting through some bills. Delighted, he took some money out of the storekeeper's hands.

"You got the money!" For the first time since he left Maria, Tony felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. He started to examine the bills, determining how much was there.

"Yeah, I got it." Doc's voice was low and forlorn, reflecting his mood perfectly. He just couldn't see the point in a bunch of hoodlums fighting over a piece of street that, in the long run, wasn't rightfully theirs anyway. He wondered when it would all end and, rather than hurting each other, they'd become friends with each other.

"For what?" Doc turned in the direction of the new voice and saw Anita. He guessed that she also didn't like the fighting, and came to help Tony and his... friends. At least someone's trying to do something, Doc thought, conveniently ignoring Lieutenant Shrank's way of "dealing with hoodlums."

"Why, to run away! Get married! Fly to the moon and back! Nothing can go wrong!" As he said this, Tony waved his arms around, spinning, no doubt imagining a new life with his love.

"You're running away? You're just going to leave the gang?" Ice's voice crashed Tony's imagination, and he turned to his friend, all traces of happiness gone as reality sets in.

"I love Maria. We'll go away to the country, marry, and have children, and name 'em all after Doc!" Tony, some hope restored, turned to Doc. "I'll pay it all back, I promise."

"Don't worry about it."

"I can, and I will," Tony replied kindly. "Now I just gotta wait for Maria."

Ice again was in the background, observing the others closely. Thinking of something he hadn't realized before, he asked Anita, "Why do you want to help Tony run away?"

This time, Anita hesitated. She could detect no coldness in his voice, but there wasn't much warmth either. His tone was more... curious.

"I loved 'Nardo. Maria is my friend. I couldn't stand to see her unhappy. Marrying Chino will make her unhappy."

Muted voices, growing steadily louder, suddenly drifted downstairs. Tony looked up in realization.

"Maria!" Tony knew the Jets were a rowdy bunch, and tended to start many of the fights with the Sharks, but his primary worry was that Maria was getting harassed because of her relationship with Bernardo.

"We better get upstairs, before those boys do something they'll regret." Doc, always the voice of reason, led the way upstairs. He was relieved that Anita and Ice were at least able to stand each other in the same room. He also knew that Ice didn't want to involve the girls in any fighting, as he was able to send Graziella and Velma out last night. In Doc's opinion, that made him a little more courteous and gentlemanlike than the rest of the gang.

He pushed the door open and the four filed into the store. Ice could see the Jets taunting someone, and it was thanks to his height that he could see Bernardo's sister, Maria, in the center, looking ready to cry.

"Bernardo's sister wants to see Tony," Action said mockingly, in the same manner he used when it was Anita he was talking to.

"She does want Tony dead..." A-Rab added sarcastically, as if he was considering a good enough reason to let Maria through.

Desperately, Maria begged, "It is important! Please, _señores_, let me through!" She'd been interrogated almost brutally by that Lieutenant Shrank, and almost had her lies discovered, but finally, when Maria was so close to breaking down and admitting the truth, the cop appeared satisfied and bid her a good night. She had wasted no time in getting to Doc's store as soon as he had driven away.

"Please, _señores_!" Snowboy, ever the comedian, parroted back in his own version of Maria's voice.

Cottoning on, A-Rab added, "Por favor!"

A movement caught Baby John's eye, and he wheeled around and saw Tony and Ice with Bernardo's girl.

"Tony!"

Tony, however, ignored him, and spoke instead to Maria.

"Maria, Doc gave us some money! We can run away now! To the country!"

The news visibly brightened Maria. Every second she spent here in the city made her more paranoid, more anxious that her dreams wouldn't come true. Hearing the confirmation made her want to break down in tears of happiness. Instead, she simply ran to Tony and threw her arms around him. Maria could hear shouts of protest from the boys behind her, and clung to Tony tighter.

"Don't let her through!"

"She'll tell Chino Tony's here!"

"Get away from him!"

"Don't."

The last voice came from behind Tony. Curiously, Maria averted her eyes upward and saw a tall, blond boy with eyes as cold as ice, glaring over their shoulders at his gang. Ice's interjection caused Tiger to announce, "Ain't no sign of Chino anywhere."

Chino? What would he have to do with anything? Maria wondered, pulling away from Tony. "Chino? Why Chino?"

"He wants Tony to die because he killed your brother," the blond boy replied.

Maria could feel anger and adrenaline race through her veins as she scowled. Why couldn't God bless her with good luck for once?

But he did. Meeting Tony was the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me.

"If Chino tries to hurt Tony..."

"'Nardo promised you to him." Maria's stomach churned as she heard Anita's voice. She had neither expected Anita to approve of her and Tony, nor agree to deliver her message to him. Still, the reality of Anita's words sunk in as she continued, "He loves you, Maria. Can't you see that?"

"I love Tony," Maria replied steadfastly. She turned to face the boys who previously mocked her, daring them to do something.

Anybodys, always the loudmouth, turned to Tony, looking stunned. "Tony loves a Shark's girl? Bernardo's sister?"

Tony wondered why the Jets were still referring to the Puerto Ricans as Sharks, when they were merely just other people. "I saw only her."

Ice saw the looks on his buddies' face and knew immediately that they had realized Tony was telling the truth; he did indeed love Maria, and tried to prevent the rumble because of the their mutual disgust of fighting. Before the Jets could say or do anything, Ice commanded, "Clear out."

"But what about-?" Action started to question, but Ice cut him off.

"I said, clear out. Look for Chino again; he could be anywhere."

The Jets looked like they were about to protest. Action, in particular, was obviously deeply opposed to the order, but nonetheless, he jerked his head towards the door and led the gang out the door, albeit reluctantly. Ice walked over to the window to see them splitting up, and leaned against the wall by the door. As the door swung shut, Doc turned his attention to Maria curiously.

"Won't your parents be upset? They lost a son, and their only other child is running away with someone she barely knows."

Maria turned back around to hug Tony, who rubbed her back reassuringly. "They won't mind; they'll love him."

"I always go to church," Tony added, as if that settled everything.

Maria grinned. "And your prospects?"

"Why, too many to name," Tony replied teasingly.

Reluctant to play the devil's advocate, Anita chimed in, "Very cute, but you must also remember Chino." She watched as the two broke away to face her.

"Chino!" Maria exclaimed exasperatedly. "He can't stop me from loving someone else.

"He was very upset that you asked for Tony first after 'Nardo died. He can stop you from running away." Anita was trying to reason with her, but she secretly knew that trying to sway Maria in Chino's favor was only a waste of breath.

"Not if we go to the country! We'll find somewhere to live!" Maria secretly knew that Anita had a valid point, but her optimism was too high to even consider Chino. Grabbing Tony's hands, she began to spin in a circle.

Tony became infected with her positive attitude. He added, "Get a job!"

Maria spun faster as she said, "Have children!"

Tony let go of her, and Maria continued to spin on her toes. "Get married!"

"You'll need to get there first." It was as if a balloon just popped. Maria spun too close to the wall and smacked against it. She looked grim, like someone reminded her of Bernardo's death again. Maria knew that it was going to be hard to run away, with so many unconsidered possibilities hindering their progress. Tony walked over, and grasped her hands hopefully as she looked at Doc.

"As long as we're together, anything is possible."

Anita looked as if she was about to protest, but she suddenly heard voices coming from outside. They were readily rising in volume, profanity, and intensity. The others looked around, but all eyes landed to the right, on the wall facing the playground.

"When do you kids stop?" Doc asked no one in particular.

"We'd better see what's going on," Ice agreed as he opened the door quickly. Everyone hurried out of the store and followed Ice out onto the playground, each praying for a peaceful ending to the dispute. Ice turned his head into the playground and could make out two figures whose faces were in front of a street light's glare, preventing identification. However, the all too familiar slang alerted Ice to the fact that one of the people was Action. The other person clutched a metal object in his right hand. He heard Maria next to him whisper, "Chino," but she remained rooted to the spot.

"Where is that Polack chicken, eh?" Chino's accented English reached the five witnesses. Tony could tell things were about to come to a head.

"Runnin' far from you spics!" Action's racist slur didn't seem to faze Chino in the slightest. On the contrary, he looked calm and collected, a cat content that he has his prey right where he wants it. Even his stupid Cheshire grin looked eerily feline-like.

"Perhaps he is visiting your mother's side of the street with my girl?" Knowing Action best, Ice and Tony clambered into the playground at the mention of Action's mother, desperate to stop the now inevitable fight. Maria, Doc, and Anita followed after another moment's hesitation.

Action hurdled forward at Chino, fist raised. He was about to punch him into next year when he felt arms wrap around his chest and pull him back. He saw Ice enter his vision, standing in front of Chino, who was watching his opponent in satisfaction.

"Action! Stop it!" a voice behind him pleaded. He had just enough self-control left to see that it was Tony restraining him. Red hot in anger, having eyes only for Chino, Action snarled, "You ain't in the gang no more. Keep outta it!"

"The chicken is growing some wings?" Tony knew without hesitation that it now he who Chino was taunting, digging up the catalysts that culminated in Bernardo's murder. "Perhaps now, he can fight his own battles."

Tony was about to plead full-heartedly that he still intended to keep the peace when Action, still thrashing in his grip, screamed, "Just remember what happened when 'Nardo said that, you lousy, good-for-nothin' crud face!"

An agonized sob sounded to Tony's right. Maria was leaning on Anita's shoulder, her body wracking uncontrollably as she was again forced to remember Chino's shocking revelation.

"_Querida_-" Anita began.

"You think she cares?" The voice came out low and harsh, filled with contempt. Anita turned her attention to Chino, setting her face into a cold glare. Sensing another round of torment, Anita started rubbing Maria's back reassuringly.

Attempting to pacify Chino, whose self control looked ready to snap, she started to say, "She loves 'Nardo and you-" but was cut off again.

"Do you think she was even worried about me? You know what she asked me after the rumble? After I come home, bleeding and sweaty? She asked about the Polack! Even when I mentioned 'Nardo, and the rumble..." Chino shoved an accusing finger towards Tony. His voice was getting steadily louder, and more angry. Ice was glaring holes in Chino, but did nothing, though Anita noticed he was poised to physically intervene should the need arise. "...he was the first person she asked about, not about her dead brother!" He emphasized the last two words, further hammering in Maria the awful reality of earlier that evening.

No one had much of a chance to react to Chino's understandable misery, as Ice asked, "You ever thought that maybe she cared for you, too?"

"She sent me to stop the fighting," Tony added.

"Only so you and her can be together!" At this point, the vindictive Puerto Rican wouldn't listen to any reason or explanation, so blinded was he in rage.

Action, who had stopped struggling in response to Maria's sobs, spoke up. "She's 'Nardo's sister-"

"We've established that already." Ice was disgusted towards Action. He honestly couldn't believe his friend failed to realize that the situation had gone much further than who a person was or wasn't.

"Bad enough Tony's sweet on 'Nardo's sister, but whaddya we need another dumb broad around for?"

Several things happened at once, all of which competed for attention with each other. Anita whirled around angrily; she was so fed up with Action's disrespectful attitude. Ice glared dangerously at Action, and was close to hitting him himself. Doc called out in disgust, but his voice couldn't carry high enough to garner any attention. Maria whipped her head up in shock and horror at Action. While everyone stared at Action, Chino quickly pulled the gun up to chest level and points it at him. Action, out of the corner of his eye, saw the movement, and charged Chino.

"Action! NO!" Tony's call came too late as he rushed to the two boys. Doc and Ice shielded Anita and Maria, both of whom were shouting helplessly at Chino, Action, and Tony. A loud BANG was heard, making everyone jump and try to see what happened.

Action and Chino were still grasping the gun. Tony was in the middle, one hand on each shoulder, attempting to pull them apart. He jumped back, however, when the gun fired. Both fighters froze in horror, then slowly, Chino crumpled to the ground, clutching his midsection with his hands, which were slowly staining crimson.

"NO!"

The noise that came from Maria sounded almost like a wounded animal, Anita thought, leaning forwards to confront her, but Maria, with rage in her eyes, shrugged the gesture off, and hurried over to kneel beside Chino and grasp his hand tightly. He was gasping laboriously.

"Why, Chino?" Her uncharacteristic anger startled Tony, who had seen her rage before; she had been hysterical over her brother's death, but later forgave and had sex with his killer and her true love. He couldn't pull anything out of his mouth. He heard footsteps and the sound of the fence rattling as the Jets flooded onto the playground, followed closely by the Sharks. Tony could feel their shock radiating off each other as they saw what their fighting escalated into.

"I- I- was jealous. How.. could you... love him... more... than... me?" And in that moment, Maria saw everything. The love, the compassion, the hate, and the envy all mixed into one pained expression as Chino shuddered violently.

"I- I do love you, Chino, but as un amigo." As she said that, Chino could feel something in him click, a revelation dawning on him: her heart was forever lost to the Polack. He saw that, even though he killed 'Nardo, it didn't stop Maria from loving him.

"Be... happy... so will... I." Maria's fiancée took one last breath, and, exhaling slowly, Chino's eyes fluttered shut, his fingers loosening from Maria's hand and becoming limp. Maria watched, helplessly, feeling as if her heart would shatter. She might not have loved Chino the way she did Tony, but she still cared for him nonetheless. She could feel hot tears runs down her face as she clutched his hand. Soon, sniffles could be heard, then outright crying.

The onlookers looked miserably at the heart-broken girl. Action, in particular, stared at the prone body, knowing it was his fault in every way that Chino was dead. Tony could only stand there, not saying anything, not doing anything. There was nothing to say as the consequences of their hatred laid on the ground, as if asleep, had it not been for the telltale sign of blood loss.

Maria probably screamed, probably broke down, probably thought about how she and Tony could now run away, but the next few hours blurred together, making it impossible to tell what was going on. Doc's earlier question came back to haunt her.

_Won't your parents be upset? They lost a son, and their only other child is running away with someone she barely knows._

Heavy, official sounding footsteps made a beeline to Maria, but she ignored it. It wasn't until big, heavy hands laid gently on her shoulders and pulled her away that Maria comprehended what was happening, and that no one was talking, their emotionless faces explaining anything and everything that words could not.

"I hope you're happy. ALL OF YOU!" Maria screamed, making everyone, including herself, jump. "This is what happens when you hate: you kill! You kill and don't look back afterwards!

"Tell me," she demanded, whirling around to face Action. "Did killing Chino make you happy? Can you live with yourself now?"

"It was an-"

"Don't tell me it was an accident! You wrestled for the gun, you insulted me, you went looking for him, you probably even started the fight that brought us out here!" Maria felt her self-control slipping away. She struggled to hold her glare at an ashamed Action, but Tony put his arms around her, and she collapsed into his arms, sobbing pitifully.

"It's alright. Everything will work out." Tony's comfort, however warm, was lost on Maria. He had never had any siblings, only his mama, and she was still alive. Chino had been like a brother to her. She saw him as family, not someone to marry.

Lieutenant Shrank walked over slowly to Chino, ready to carry him away, but Pepe and Indio cut him off, and picked up Chino themselves. Pepe struggled to lift his legs, and Action, A-Rab, and Snowboy rushed forward to help. The sudden appearance of the other boys made them look up, ready to fight, but remembering Maria's words, and their consequence of the rivalry, Pepe and Indio nodded their thanks. The five boys slowly made their way out of the lot, their burden weighing them down.

Maria felt soft, gentle fingertips run down her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Anita, warm tears forming in her eyes. She nodded, just once, and just enough to make it noticeable, and then turned and walked away behind the other teens.

**WSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWS SWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSSWSS**

Things returned to normal more or less after the death of Chino.

The Jets and Sharks remained together, but both sides stopped seeing each other as enemies and treated each other as friends, bonded by Maria's words. They continued to cause plenty of mischief and wisecrack themselves out of trouble.

Anita was able to move on past 'Nardo and found herself another boy. While she loved him to pieces, she always held a special place for 'Nardo in her heart.

Action was accused of the murder of Chino after getting the full story. Tony, Maria, Anita, Ice, and Doc came to his defense, saying the gun went off by accident when Tony attempted to intervene. Action was released with no penalty.

Maria and Tony stayed with their respective families and jobs, saving nearly all of their earnings in hopes of moving to the country to live their dream life. With help from Tony and Anita, Maria is able to come to terms with Nardo and Chino's deaths.

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**I feel a new story is a little more preferable than little updates of Moments.**

**Thank you for your time!**

**~dd626**


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